Hair barrette changeable inside out

ABSTRACT

A hair barrette includes a barrette member having a number of bars secured together for forming a zigzag structure, for example, two adjacent bars are secured together at one end for forming a V-shaped structure, and the other two adjacent bars are secured together at the other end with also for forming a V-shaped structure, and thus for forming the zigzag structure, and a securing device may be used for detachably securing the ends of the barrette member together for forming a closed condition and for allowing the barrette member to be engaged with the hair or the other portions of the user and to be easily changed or turned inside out.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair barrette or hair styling device,and more particularly to a hair barrette including a zigzag structurefor allowing the hair barrette to be easily and quickly engaged with thehair of the user and to be easily and quickly changed or turned insideout.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical hair barrettes comprise a longitudinal barrette member havingtwo ends detachably secured together for forming a circular or closedstructure and for clasping or styling or organizing the hair of theuser.

For example, U.S. Des. Pat. No. Des. 280,942 to Topalian discloses oneof the typical hair barrettes comprising two buckles or fasteningdevices attached to two ends of a longitudinal barrette member fordetachably securing the two ends of the longitudinal barrette membertogether and for forming a circular or closed structure and for claspingor styling or organizing the hair of the user.

However, the ends of the longitudinal barrette member may only bedetachably secured together to form the circular or closed structure forclasping or styling or organizing the hair of the user, but may not bechanged to the other structure and also may not be attached to the otherportions of the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,054 to Neilson et al. discloses another typicalspiral spring hair barrette comprising a flat spiral spring and a combattached to the flat spiral spring for forming a coiled structure andfor engaging around or holding the ponytail of the user.

However, the ends of the longitudinal barrette member may not be securedtogether to form a circular or closed structure and also may not bechanged to the other structure.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,109 to Tu discloses a further typical barrettecomprising a pair of elongated members which are coupled to one anotherfor movement between a closed operative condition and an open condition.

However, the typical barrette may not be easily and quickly changed tothe other structure and also may not be changed or turned inside out.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional hair barrettes or hairstyling devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hairbarrette including a zigzag structure for allowing the hair barrette tobe easily and quickly engaged with the hair of the user and to be easilyand quickly changed or turned inside out.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a hairbarrette comprising a barrette member including a plurality of bars atleast having a first bar, a second bar and a third bar, and the firstbar being disposed between the second and the third bars, and thebarrette member including two ends, the first bar and the second barbeing secured together at one end with a coupling device for forming aV-shaped structure, and the second bar and the third bar being securedtogether at the other end with a coupling device for forming a V-shapedstructure, and for forming a zigzag structure, and a securing device maybe used for detachably securing the ends of the barrette member togetherfor forming a closed condition.

The securing device includes a first locking member attached to a firstend of the ends of the barrette member, and a second locking memberattached to a second end of the ends of the barrette member for engagingwith the first locking member and for detachably securing the ends ofthe barrette member together to form the closed condition or structure.

The first locking member includes at least one locking hole, and thesecond locking member includes at least one locking catch for detachablysecuring the locking hole of the first locking member. The barrettemember includes two opposite surfaces that may be folded or turned orchanged inside out.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair barrette in accordance with thepresent invention, illustrating the attachment of the hair barrette ontothe hair of the user;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hair barrette;

FIG. 3 is a plan schematic view illustrating the status of the hairbarrette before the ends of the hair barrette are detachably securedtogether;

FIGS. 4, 5 are perspective views similar to FIG. 2 illustrating theoperation of the hair barrette; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 are perspective views similar to FIG. 1 illustrating theoperation of the hair barrette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a hair barrette 1in accordance with the present invention comprises a barrette member 10including a number of longitudinal barrette elements or rods or bars orat least three bars 11, 12, 14 coupled or secured together for forming azigzag structure as shown in FIG. 3 where the barrette member 10 is inan open condition. For example, the bar 11 is disposed between the othertwo bars 12, 14, and two adjacent bars 11, 12 are secured together atone end with a coupling portion or coupling device 13 for forming aV-shaped structure, and the other two adjacent bars 11, 14 are securedtogether at the other end with another coupling portion or couplingdevice 15 for forming a V-shaped structure, and thus for forming thezigzag structure as shown in FIG. 3.

The bars 11, 12, 14 and the coupling devices 13, 15 may be made of softor resilient materials, such as metal, plastic, rubber, or othersynthetic materials for allowing the barrette member 10 to be stretchedor retracted or folded or deformed to any suitable shape or structure,and the barrette member 10 may be applied with different decorativefigures or patterns or words or advertisements on the two opposite sidesor surfaces. The barrette member 10 includes one end or first end 16having one or more (such as two) locking or securing means or members17, such as locking holes 17, and the other end or the second end 18having one or more (such as two) locking or securing means or members19, such as locking catches 19 for engaging with the locking members orlocking holes 17.

For example, the locking catches 19 at the other end or the second end18 may be engaged with the locking members or locking holes 17 at theone end or the first end 16 for detachably securing the two ends 16, 18of the barrette member 10 together and for forming a circular or closedstructure or condition as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 4-8, and for claspingor styling or organizing the hair 80 of the user 8. As also shown inFIGS. 4-7, the barrette member 10 in the circular or closed structure orcondition may be easily and quickly changed or turned inside out forallowing the decorative figures or patterns or words or advertisementsin either of the two opposite sides or surfaces of the barrette member10 to be selectively turned inside out and to be selectively exposed.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the barrette member 10 in thecircular or closed structure or condition may be formed as a cylindricalstructure for engaging with the hair 80 of the user 8 and for claspingor styling or organizing the hair 80 of the user 8; and/or for engagingwith the other portions 88 of the user 8, such as the hands 88 of theuser 8 as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, thebarrette member 10 in the circular or closed structure or condition mayalso be formed as a planar or inclined and star-shaped structure forengaging with the hair 80 of the user 8 and for clasping or styling ororganizing the hair 80 of the user 8.

Accordingly, the hair barrette in accordance with the present inventionincludes a zigzag structure for allowing the hair barrette to be easilyand quickly engaged with the hair of the user and to be easily andquickly changed or turned inside out.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A hair barrette comprising: a barrette member including a pluralityof bars at least having a first bar, a second bar and a third bar, andsaid first bar being disposed between said second and said third bars,and said barrette member including two ends, said first bar and saidsecond bar being secured together at one end with a coupling device forforming a V-shaped structure, and said second bar and said third barbeing secured together at the other end with a coupling device forforming a V-shaped structure, and for forming a zigzag structure, andmeans for detachably securing said ends of said barrette member togetherfor forming a closed condition.
 2. The hair barrette as claimed in claim1, wherein said securing means includes a first locking member attachedto a first end of said ends of said barrette member, and a secondlocking member attached to a second end of said ends of said barrettemember for engaging with said first locking member and for detachablysecuring said ends of said barrette member together.
 3. The hairbarrette as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first locking memberincludes at least one locking hole, and said second locking memberincludes at least one locking catch for detachably securing said atleast one locking hole of said first locking member.
 4. The hairbarrette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said barrette member includestwo opposite surfaces changeable inside out.